PS Vita TV unboxing and teardown reveals a well-designed microconsole

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Typically all the teardown information we get comes via the team at iFixit, but for the recently release PS Vita TV, we had to look elsewhere. That’s probably due to the fact the PS Vita TV has only been released in Japan, with no support via PSN in other territories.

However, we can take a closer look at and inside Sony’s device thanks to Japanese website 4Gamer.net.

The PS Vita TV is a microconsole that connects to a TV via HDMI and can be used to play PS Vita games with a DualShock 3 controller. It launched on November 14 in Japan for roughly $100 on its own, or $150 in a Value Pack with an 8GB memory card and DualShock 3 included.

At the moment it can be used to play over 100 Vita titles as well as streaming digital content. Support for PS4 remote play is expected some point in the near future. Don’t expect it to head to western markets, though, as for the foreseeable future it isn’t making the trip.

One thing the PS Vita TV definitely is, is tiny. Measuring just 65 x 105 x 13.6mm, you only have to place it next to a PS Vita game case or any of Sony’s previous handhelds to see how small it is. This is also reflected in the units weight, which is just 110 grams.

If you opt for the Value Pack you get the Vita TV and DualShock 3 both in white, a USB cable for charging, AC adapter, and HDMI cable. As well as HDMI, USB, Ethernet, and power outlets on the device, there’s also slots for the PS Vita game carts and memory cards. As well as playing Vita games, you can also access the PlayStation Network (as long as you have a Japanese account).

Opening up the Vita TV reveals a mainboard protected by metal shielding held in place by 5 screws. When removed it reveals a heat spreading layer on the back of the shielding and the fact it also acted as a heat sink for the chips. The same is true on the other side of the board, which again acts as a heat sink for the main processor and is held in place by 5 screws.

With the shielding removed we can see, just like on the recent teardown of the PS4, a very well laid out board. From what I can gather from the Google translated 4Gamer.net post, it seems Sony has reused components from the PCH-1000 PS Vita rather than the newer PCH-2000 that is about to flood the market with its LCD panel and improved battery life. Chips from Fujitsu, Realtek, Texas Instruments, and Samsung are visible on the board.

Even though the PS Vita TV is small, the fact it is based on the 1st-generation PS Vita internals suggests there’s definitely room for space saving and the board isn’t exactly tightly packed. It seems likely we may see an even smaller version of the Vita TV in the future, and hopefully one that makes the trip to western markets, too.